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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-02-2004 02:18 PM

flytyer

To my eye, this is what it should look like. It is still sparse; however, it has the illusion of bulk, and it flows from the fly's eye toward the tail. It is amazing what small adjustments to proportions do to the overall look of a fly.

03-02-2004 11:47 AM

HenningL

The new RR

I was asked to post a picture of the "new" Rusty RAT I mentioned above - and does so. This is an "original" RR without the pheasant body hackle, and compared to the one above, the hackle is slightly longer, slightly fuller and slanted more backwards, and the veiling is shorter. Also, as mentioned above, I have shifted the "weight" by making the floss part of the body slightly shorter. What do you think? I think the balance of the fly is better, but also I don't want to overdress the fly with too much hackle.

Henning

03-01-2004 07:51 AM

HenningL

Thanks!

Thank you all for the welcome, and for kind words and constructive feedback on the flies! It is much appreciated. I have made a RR implementing the changes that have been suggested; a slightly longer front hackle and shorter veiling - in addition I made the herl part of the body slightly longer and the floss part correspondingly shorter (about one turn of rib) - and it does indeed help the balance of the fly in my eyes.

Igor, I am intrigued to hear that you know of Erling Olsen and his flies. I don't know him in person, but have read several of his articles. He is a major source of inspiration. Actually, the idea of using the ringneck pheasant feather in this way I got from an article EO wrote on March Brown type flies, where he had used the feather this way to put some more life into large, featherwinged MBs!

Hennng

02-29-2004 11:52 AM

GPearson

Very nice flies. Keep them coming.

Greg

02-29-2004 10:26 AM

Igor

Looking Good!

Those are some very good looking flies, Henning!

A marvelous 'Rusty Rat' to study, even when making a 'Spey' or sparser variant, is that of Erling Olsen. Erling's 'Rats' are exquisite and his sense of depth and proportions are textbook perfect whether dressed on a #1/0 or Size #6 dobbeltkrok!

BTW - I especially liked your use of the Ringneck.

Igor

02-28-2004 09:00 PM

flytyer

Your spey flies are very nice. I especially like the "green" one for its coloration.

The Rusty Rat would look more "full" if you use a larger grizzly hackle. Tie it with a hackle that has barbs that reach or nearly reach the hook point and it will fill out nicely. Shortening the flass body veiling so that it ends just in from of the tail tie in would also help with it looking more "full" because doing so would have your eye pay more attention to the front of the fly.

02-28-2004 12:23 PM

HenningL

New member - new flies 3

And in conclusion this time, I wanted to share this one. It is a fairly standard Rusty Rat, but on larger hooks, I think this fly is bit "empty" (if that makes sense at all), so I added a very sparse spey style body hackle just to "fill in". This is a feather from the ringneck pheasant back patch, stripped on one side and wound on the herl part of the body. Hook is Mustad salmon, size 1.

That's it for this time. Back to the tying bench, I think - I have two weeks on the Surna this summer, and one week in Orkla, + +, so better get those boxes filled up.